Assembly resolves Gudo chieftaincy

THE Masvingo Provincial chiefs assembly has helped the Gudo community in Chiredzi to finally select Mr Karukai Mavivi as the substantive Chief Gudo.

Mr Mavivi has been acting chief since the demise of his father Mr Partson Mavivi in 2009 while efforts to anoint a new chief were affected by disagreements over the selection criteria within the Gudo clan.

There were serious divisions within the clan as some family members wanted the new chief to be chosen using the father-to-son system while others wanted a rotational system amongst families.

A provincial chiefs assembly team led by Chief Chiwara (Mr Rueben Mupasi) comprising Chiefs Mazungunye and Ndanga managed to break the impasse after the clan settled to use the father-to-son system to choose the new chief.

Chief Chiwara said they were satisfied after finally solving the Gudo chieftainship dispute.

“We have listened to your submissions regarding your traditional ways of replacing a chief in the event of death,” he said.

“Although others tried to rewrite the history here to take over a chieftainship, which is not theirs, we can all conclude that the father-to-son system is what the Gudo community uses based on both oral and written evidence you provided us.”

Three previous meetings to choose the new substantive chief since 2009 all ended in deadlock as the Gudo family members could not agree on the criteria.

Sources said members of the Tagurana family were behind the dispute as they wanted the selection criteria to be changed from father-to-son to the rotational system.

This was quashed by Chief Ndanga who said if the Gudo clan members wanted to change the selection criteria they could only do so after a new substantive chief had been chosen.

“We cannot continue to waste Government money because of some of you who want to rewrite history, this is the fourth time that we are coming here and we want you to give us the name of the new chief as per the dictates of your tradition,” said Chief Ndanga.

There are about 13 chieftainships across Masvingo province that are either vacant or held in acting capacities, with families in line for succession fighting over how to choose new heirs.